


Paying Respects

by Araloth



Series: Jethan-Werewolves of London [8]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-11
Updated: 2017-11-11
Packaged: 2019-02-01 00:54:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12693693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Araloth/pseuds/Araloth
Summary: On the morning they're scheduled to leave Beacon Hills, Ethan slips away for a bit.





	Paying Respects

            Jackson woke up slowly, the sun streaming through the cracks in the blinds and out into the hotel room. He checked the clock-he and Ethan had about six hours until their flight back to London. They’d said their good byes already, and had been counting on just taking it easy for the final day in Beacon Hills. Jackson rolled over and caught sight of Ethan’s side of the bed. His boyfriend was gone, and the bed looked barely slept in. Jackson’s nose twitched-coffee. The pot was full and sitting in the machine still nice and warm. Next to the coffee maker was a small bag with the logo of Jackson’s favorite local bakery on it. Jackson smiled and rolled out of bed. Wherever Ethan had gone he’d still made the effort to give Jackson a great morning. Jackson sighed happily, pouring himself a cup of coffee and reaching into the bag to pull out two amazing looking donuts. Jackson was really going to miss these when they got back home. Jackson was about to text Ethan to ask where he was and to thank him-he’d scored some serious boyfriend points-when Jackson noticed Ethan’s phone charging on the counter.

            He frowned. Ethan leaving his phone wasn’t the strangest thing in the world-he liked to go for morning runs sometimes, and occasionally forgot to grab it when he changed, but Ethan’s bag was still sitting by the door next to Jackson’s, fully packed and ready to be carried out. The clothes Ethan had laid out last night to wear for the trip today were gone, the hanger next to Jackson’s own clothes completely empty. That seemed to rule out the possibility of a run. Jackson tried to avoid turning to the small inkling of worry taking root in his stomach, the pack had cleared Beacon Hills of any hunters, and Ethan could certainly handle himself, but it still bothered Jackson. If Ethan hadn’t taken his phone he had either been uncharacteristically forgetful, or had deliberately left it behind to be by himself for awhile. A sudden thought crystallized in Jackson’s mind-and just like that he knew where Ethan had gone.

            Jackson pulled out his phone and started dialing.

           “Hey.” He said softly. “Ethan stepped out for a bit and didn’t tell me where he was going.”

           “Where is it?” Jackson asked.

***

           It was hard for Ethan to believe it had been over a year and half since he’d been here. Some days it felt like an eternity ago, others like only yesterday. He trudged through the woods, veering off the path as he got higher up. Finally he came to the small clearing. The flowers weren’t blooming right now, but it otherwise looked much the same as when Ethan had last seen it. The large oak trees that ringed the clearing like silent sentinels, the large white rock in the center of the clearing that had taken Ethan the better part of a day to drag into place. It was a beautiful spot, and seemed to have been untouched by time.

           Ethan heard the rustling of branches behind him and knew. He turned to see Jackson stumbling into the clearing, and gave his boyfriend a small smile.

           “Lydia or Derek?” Ethan asked.

           “Lydia.” Jackson frowned. “Derek knows about this place?”

           Ethan nodded. “He helped a little. I think he felt guilty…”

           Jackson took a moment to look around, taking in the beauty of the scene, before reaching his hand out for Ethan’s. Ethan took it gratefully, and Jackson winced just slightly as his boyfriend squeezed his wrist, an action that did no go unnoticed by Ethan.

           “What’s wrong?” Ethan pulled Jackson’s wrist up to eye level and saw the slight bruising evident there. “What happened?”

            Jackson grinned. “Someone was a little rough last night.”

           “It hasn’t healed yet?” Ethan’s voice was full of concern.

           “Relax.” Jackson said gently. “It will.”

            Ethan frowned. “It already should have-“

            Jackson silenced the taller boy by pulling him into a quick kiss.

            “So…” Jackson said quietly after a moment. “Are you going to introduce me?”

             Ethan took Jackson’s hand again and walked slowly up to the stone monolith. There was no name, only the symbol of the Alpha pack hewn roughly into the rock by Ethan’s own claws.

             “Jackson-meet Aiden. Aiden…Jackson.” Ethan said softly.

             They stood there together in silence for a while.

             “He really would have liked you I think…” Ethan mumbled.

             Jackson smiled and squeezed Ethan’s hand lovingly. “I keep telling you- _everybody_ loves me.”

             That brought a small smile back to Ethan’s face. He laughed and wrapped his arms around Jackson. “You’d have a decent amount in common. Both arrogant enough for starters…”

             Jackson snorted and ran his hand over the rock idly. “I’m sure I’d have liked him too…” Jackson turned back to Ethan his expression more serious, but his voice still uncharacteristically calm. “You know you could have told me where you were going. I would have come up here with you instead of having to track you down.”

            Ethan shrugged guiltily. “I didn’t really plan it. I just-I don’t know when I’m going to be back here again…”

            Nodding slowly, Jackson considered the monument before him. Slowly he popped the claw on his right forefinger. “Here give me your hand.”

            Ethan frowned but held his hand out to Jackson palm up regardless. ‘What are you going to do?”

            “Just hold still okay?” Jackson snorted. “Don’t you trust me?”

            Ethan rolled his eyes, but didn’t move. Carefully, Jackson ran his claw down Ethan’s palm, drawing a thin red line across the surface. Jackson pulled on Ethan’s hand and pushed it up flat against the carved symbol of the Alpha pack, letting the small drops of blood flow into the grooves. With his finger Jackson quickly spread the drops, painting the symbol red. The few excess drops he flicked down onto the plans in front of the rock.

            “There.” Jackson said solemnly. “Now a piece of you will always be here with him even when you’re not.”

            Ethan smiled. “Aiden always did love the color red.”

            Over come by a sudden rush of emotion Jackson opened his mouth without even thinking about. “You know we wouldn’t have to go back.”

            Ethan looked at Jackson like he had gone mad.

            “Uh to London I mean.” Jackson added. “We could stay here. Be closer to him. If that’s what you want.”

            Ethan was already shaking is head. “Our lives are in London. I don’t want to give that up and I wouldn’t ask you to.” He pulled Jackson into a tight embrace, resting his head on the smaller boy’s shoulder. “But thank you for offering. I don’t need to be here to feel close to Aiden. That’s something that’s never going to go away, no matter where I am.”

            Jackson chuckled awkwardly. “Yeah…Sorry I don’t really know what I was thinking on that one.”

            “Don’t worry.” Ethan laughed. “I wont tell the others you’ve become a big softy.” He sighed. “I really am glad you came out here though.”

            Jackson smiled and starred at the rock in front of him. Whatever else he might have been Jackson figured Aiden had done some things right in life. After all he had one hell of a brother.

            “Me too.” Jackson said quietly. “Me too.”


End file.
